822 ADDRESSES AND STATE PAPERS

A. I didn't ask. The demonstrations thus far have been entirely or-
derly. I'm hopeful that they may not find a need to demonstrate fur-
ther if we go to work promptly on the problem because I think that
calm can best be restored without the demonstrations. But I certainly
didn't make any requests of them. I'll leave it to their good judgment
as to what they should do in that regard.

Q. Governor, is it possible the Interracial Commission will file some
complaints against the firms that have been discriminating?

A. Well, I would say that it is not impossible, but our first approach
will be that of persuasion rather than taking any affirmative action.
When I visited Somerset County shortly after the election I was im-
pressed with the desire of the public officials to cooperate with the
State, and I believe this cooperation is still possible. That's why we're
going to have a meeting very shortly and see what we can do about
achieving these objectives without taking any affirmative action.

Q. By a meeting, do you mean your staff?

A. I'm going to have members of my staff tomorrow contact members
of the political community and some members of the economic com-
munity to begin to talk about the problems. I want to emphasize the
difference between this approach and that which took place at Bowie
State College. I think this is important. There has been no violence,
no breaking of the law. There has been no belligerent conduct on the
part of these students. They have been most mature in their approach
and they have responded not only forthrightly and quickly, but they
have demonstrated that they still have the capacity to believe and
they are not completely cynical about the ability of a public official
to do what he says he is going to do.

NEWS CONFERENCE
May 23, 1968

OPENING STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR

I just have one comment to make that I think is rather important —
essential to a balanced evaluation of some of the problems that are
taking place in Salisbury and Princess Anne. I've noted that every
story that I've seen or heard that relates to these incidents indicates
that the incidents were triggered by the shooting of a Negro deaf